Crossroads (A Naruto Fanfiction)

The RedHeaded Pillar

Minato, to the majority of the world, was a man of power and respect to his allies. A teacher who knew more than they ever could to his students. A harbinger of death to his enemies. Even after having seen all of these sides of him, to Kushina - however - he was still merely the same blond idiot who she needed to keep in check.

"You need to eat." She said, glaring into his sunken eyes from the lack of sleep he's had in the last few days.

"Ah," He replied half-heartedly and kept his eye on the medical report he had brought back from the hospital. Kushina's frown deepened and she moved forward to where the blond idiot sat around the dining table and snatched the papers from his hands. He gave out an indignant squawk, one which gained him a hit on the head from his stolen report.

"I understand how you feel in these circumstances, Minato. But you need to get a grip sooner than later." Her voice was firm enough to quell any of his arguments. "Kakashi hasn't left the hospital since Obito's been brought back, and Rin hasn't stopped working on his case. They're both going to collapse without you."

"I know, I know," Minato sighed and slumped further into his seat in defeat. "I just don't know how to support myself first. I feel so heavy these days, to the point where I can't even sit up in the morning."

"Myself?" Minato flinched at Kushina's offended tone. "I feel like you've forgotten about me."

Minato jumped from his chair onto his feet in one swift move and nervously flailed his arms about in the air between them as he stumbled out an apology. "I- I - Kushina, it's not like that! I Just - I ..." His words faded into the kiss Kushina gave to silence him.

She sighed against his lips, both relishing the intimate moment for a good few seconds. "I know, Minato. It's hard to be the one who's depended upon by so many. You shouldn't forget though, that there are those you can depend on too."

Minato closed his eyes and leaned in closer to wrap his arms around Kushina's waist, holding her to calm his worry for his once lost student. "I've got you." He whispered into the crook of her neck.

"You've got me."

.

.

.

The beep of the machines in the private hospital room was conspicuous in the silence that surrounded them. Kushina rolled her eyes at the heavy air around her - "I just got him out of his slump, too," she mumbled - and was the first to move things forward. "The seal on his heart is too dangerous to remove." Her words startled the others back to reality.

Minato breathed hard on this abrupt topic and shook his head and said, "Even if it's too dangerous to remove, there's always a way to negate some of its effects - if not all."

"Since it's on his heart, you'd have to open his chest." Fugaku put in. He eyed the unconscious form of his young clansmen and felt a sense of shame curb in the back of his mind. 'Black sheep of the Uchiha'  as if. A boy who can survive being crushed to death, no matter the circumstances, was more than a worthy Uchiha.

"And this," He gestured to the abnormal state of Obito's right side. "Any Ideas?"

Minato nodded. "On the rescue mission, we were attacked by an unknown assailant. In my report to the Hokage, it could henge into anyone almost perfectly, even fool chakra senses. I only had a short confrontation, but it was enough to get some type of feel on it - and whatever the creature was made of, that's what's taking up Obito's injured side."

"So you're saying an enemy was taking care of him," Kushina responded alarmed. The status kept on Obito had remained confidential the first few days before it was necessary to inform others, especially Kushina, as she was one of the seal masters who could help dissect whatever was placed on Obito's heart. Fugaku, being the Uchiha Clan Head, had the natural right to be informed as well.